Opinions and choices for a small speaker for mid sized room.
Looking for a small form factor speaker that offers versatility, musicality...pretty much audiophile territory. Don’t need deep bass as that what a sub is for. Been looking at many speakers that would play nice with a low powered amp. I plan on using a Keces E40, essentially 34 watts at 8 ohms and about 61 or so at 4 ohms hooked up to a Topping D70S. Moderate listening, say up to mid 80s or so dB at 6-8 feet away, so not real loud. Preferred music is classical piano, some large scale symphonic, folk, blues, some jazz, even some SABATON...and does well for movies too!
The speakers should be capable of accurate tonality/timbre, clarity, instrument separation and offer a more 3D stage versus a flat 2D stage while still offering good dynamics when the music demands it and capable of nice airy highs. Willing to give up deeper bass to have the rest. So, more or less, a speaker that essentially does it all but still not to difficult to drive. I think alot of people would like a modest, small system that essentially gets you audiophile territory at low to moderate SPLs for a more modest price. I have Triangle Zetas (essentially a lower dressed Color series) that does nicely but looking for the next level up. I have Focal W series hooked up to a hegel and it’s better, so something that approaches that quality of sound (I guess I am used to cooler side of neutral but warm is fine as long as the bass is tight and relatively fast).
I considered the Omega Super 3 High Output Monitor for its sensitivity but it stands at 16 inches and at the other end, Amphion Helium 410s which are really small but are said to provide what I am looking for per some reviewers opinions. I really like the Amphion footprint and look whether it’s the helium 410 or 510. In your own journey, can you recommend either used or new options for me and those like me looking for a quality low power, moderately priced system and how it sounds IYO?
Blumenstein does a wonderful job. Very efficient for their size and sound is wonderful. They also do wonderful cabinet work for appearance.
From there it also gets into how big, is too big. Guessing something like JBL43XX's might be too big? These can be found on the used market but can take lots of searching. They have that wonderful full range California sound. I think your amp has enough to drive.
Looking at your amp, it would appear that it can create a high current. Linn does a wonderful job with their Kan's. I have a pair that are incredible for anything with singing in it and do a wonderful job with piano. They are based off the LS35A format, which is experiencing new enthusiasm. They do some later models that are ported for more bass extension but I really like the ones that are closed.
I heard some Golden Ear, they were okay to me but I know many others have a higher opinion than I do.
B&W, has a decently good sound. If you have issues though, they can be some boogers.
Here's what I would do. Your unit in question isn't huge. If you have some stereo stores fairly close, get in your car with Keces and go pay some folks a visit. Don't bother with the box stores, there stuff is generally marginal and their staff is typically not to well educated on true hi-fi. If the store is worth its salt, they will work with you and allow you to hook up your amp to the options they have. Tell them the parameters you are working with, maximum size of "X" and maximum dollars of "Y". You may or may not want to discuss dollars with them as they will sometimes sell up to get more out of your pocket. I have found that what you are looking for is that perfect marriage of the 2. Be sure that you tell yourself you won't commit until you try at least 5 different options. You may have to go to 3-4 different stores. When you find the right one, you will know it. If you don't find the right one, keep searching.
One thing to bear in mind while doing this. Your space is different than the one you are listening to at the store. Things will sound different when you get them home.
I hope this doesn't sound too extreme but would you buy a car without a test drive? Go kick some tires and have some fun doing it.
The LSA-10 Signatures available here from the manufacturer for $1200/pr will give you everything you’re looking for and then some. They go much deeper than the Amphions and are much easier to drive. Read the reviews. Best of luck.
Proac and Totem have always impressed me in a variety of rigs & rooms vs. most of many good options.
One less talked about brand that's really shocked me with nearly full range performance in a small bookshelf is Volent. Heard them fill a large room in a way that would make you think it was a large floorstander. Cheers, Spencer
I can vouch for ProAc Tablette 10. Incredibly detailed, not too bright, can really crank em up if need be. If you're using with a sub, it would be incredible. And they're closed cab, so they can get into tight spaces without screwing up performance.
I am a big fan of Totem. I have a set in my office. They just plain sound good. I have them hooked up with an integrated tube amp. Punchy and musical and they are absolutely beautiful.
Thank you and looking at options all of you recommended so far. Some have the potential to work and some don't as the constraints were lower powered equipment and a relatively small footprint...not to mention budget.
But used or new under $2000, even well under qualify as this could help other people as well. I have tried Dali Oberon 1 and they were OK. These could have been a bit more dynamic, refined from what I remember. Quad S2 - extremely resolving, lots of detail which did fine for movies but left me cold for music. To me it was clinical but left me disengaged from the music. I also found the soundstage very, very flat as in no depth. That was very surprising. That was probably the worst part of the experience but instruments also lacked the lifelike tone/timbre to me. I don't think I ever heard a Kevlar woofer I really liked.
Don't want Kef. Also, it's possible for a softdome to give so much detail it can sound harsh, different than metal but still harsh.
I have looked at Aperion, Amphion, Totem, Polk among others but I don't want a large, too hard to drive speaker that overtaxes a small amp. A small amp should also be able to achieve moderate sound levels (for long term listening not damaging tot he ear loud) for hours without fatigue but rendering sufficient detail and as much a lifelike presentation for the price and size. So a balanced presentation from lows to highs.
For example, Monitor Audio Silver 1s I once had were great for human voice and piano as too tonality/timbre but were a bit too laid back and were not good for movies. For music it was better for classical, jazz, blues but not for Rock, electronic, etc. For more body I played it concurrently with Paradigm SE-1s for the midrange heft it needed. Together they were great, both small enough and stacked to not mess up the soundstage. The Focals, while not quite having the natural decay the MAs had were better in most every other way even against the MA/Paradigm stack. There was a nice sweetness to the high frequencies with the stack. Talk about synergy.
My Triangles with a titanium speaker do great for a budget speaker but are not the same level as the Focals, hence asking for a smaller, audiophile example. I don't know if I would like the horn loaded triangles as much. I have listened to Wharfedale 225s/11.2s (either too warm or too colorless, too directional, lacking micro details and texture). Martin Logan Motion 15...very similar to Paradigm SE-1 except for voice. SE-1s sounded more studio while the 15s were more like being at an amplified venue (live). Not lifelike which neither were. Paradigms had lower sensitivity but could be driven to loud levels without breaking up. The 15s were only good at less than loud levels as they would breakup with too much power. For anyone whose interested in those. Neither had the detail and resolution of the MAs, and Focal gives you more. For years I had Paradigm 7 se I picked up in 1988. They sounded smooth, detailed, lifelike but lacked a bit of mid range texture. Airy highs too with a very good bottom end. Good for the time but they were even bigger than my Focals but not as revealing/transparent.
So. looking for people's own experiences as well as recommendations. It's tough when you can't audition speakers. There should be an Audiophile amusement park having all the speakers ever made for people to listen too.
I’m a huge fan of Harbeths. I have C7ES-3XDs and P3esrXDs, the latter being what I use in a small room for near-field listening. They are very detailed and I don’t find them fatiguing at all. The mids are rich and the bass is controlled (not at all ’boomy’). Vocals are particularly ’present’ and well-defined through the P3esrXDs, to my ear.
I have not heard, but would be interested in hearing the Golden Ear BRX stand-mount speaker. That's it. A lot of great choices out there and good recommendations.
Reference 3A , easy to drive, sublime sound especially mids and highs, total disappearing act from a long time established co. with good rep and review history. IMHO many of the better choices in this price range are Canadian, not by chance. Read up on the national testing lab that most of them have used as a design resource giving them an advantage over small competitors. Cheers, Spencer
Maybe a used pair of Scansonic MB1s or MB1 Bs? If you are looking for a more dimensional and immersive sound, a ribbon tweeter will do more than anything else. Given that you are in a small space, sitting close to the speakers, this might work for you.
You need lots of power with the Sunfire CRM line so that is out and Raidho is not going to get to this price range. There are a plethora of speakers under $2K, but doing what you want AND with a low powered amp....that list will not be long.
After owning Scansonic MB2.5s for a few years, and having had Raidho D1s in my listening room for months I should have thought to mention the MB1 as value for the dollar, especially if used with a dialed-in sub. (Those two speakers forced me into used D2s which I love for all the OP's reasons.)
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